Spine-adjustment mechanism

ABSTRACT

A rigid body-support and a rigid retainer provide rigid support of a person&#39;&#39;s hips and pelvic bones, achieving, when the person causes his upper torso to swing, a spinal &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;adjustment&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; of the spinal vertebrae.

Jan. 9, 1973 References Cited [54] SPINE-ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM 128/69 UX 128/69 UX mm P H mm w "n r M mm T P w B e T fr. m A .bb e T an m S TT a m D L. m mm e m mm mm U 42 mo i 48 E 14 y 05 W um mm .HH PA .mm m W529! n6 E4 .3 7 m. 3nma 8 n 3 m.m mum n mmra aaS l e ia m .L 1 C 7 9 L .m 1 mm m e g ay u BAMW4 A x r o 4 m V M .m H 1 1 6 2 7 2 .l

ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 168,024

A rigid body-support and a rigid retainer provide rigid iii; iif'c i11111111111111111111111111111111111111111116iigigi Supporthipsandpelvicachieving,

when the person causes his upper torso to swing, a spinal adjustment of the spinal vertebrae.

[58] Field of Search..................................128/68-69; 272/57 R 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 7 PAIENIEnJAu 9191s SHEET 1 1F 3 II Ermini-El IEEES-l 4 W 7; SM W a .mf M] w PATENTEU JAN 9 I975 SHEEI 2 0F 3 a v a u mi My a M PATENTEDJAH ems 3,709,216

SHEET 3 0F 3 INVf/VIORS, Byron L. M'zjvaraffianb Ciantarasa'd,

BY {M4 M Attorngy SPINEADJUSTMENT MECHANISM This invention relates to a device or mechanism for a spinal adjustment of 'a persons spinal vertebrae. That is, concepts of this invention provide that a person can achieve what is referred to as a spinal adjustment by himself, without manual manipulation by a second party.

The inventive concepts provide a means for very rigidly holding or supporting the hips and pelvic bones of the user, but permitting free swinging movement of the portion of the persons torso above his pelvic bones; and thus, by the person swinging his upper torso, in a simple torso-rotational swinging exercise while his hips and pelvic bones are being rigidly held by this mechanism, the personss spinal vertebrae automatically tend to move into proper position in his spine.

Other body-strengthening and body-exercising benefits seem also inherent, as will be apparent from the fact that the mechanism provides a means for the torso-exercising while the hips and pelvic bones are rigidly held.

Obviously, as would be the situation with most any exercise device, for almost all exercise devices would likely impose some restriction upon full freedom of movement of some part of the body, an amount of prudent reason would have to be used to avoid over-exertion or over-extension. Yet this device achieves the desired spinal exercise with relatively a few body-turns, without unduly twisting the torso in either direction, and thus this mechanism provides no incentive for a person to overdo his exercises.

The above description is rather generalized. More detailed description of the inventive concepts and features of an embodiment to show and illustrate them, are in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying somewhat diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a spine adjustment device of the present invention, the vertical support and base being shown in cross-section;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged pictorial views, respectively showing the front and rear portions of the device or mechanism; and

FIG. 5 is a pictorial detail view of a portion of FIG. 4, but illustrating one of the latch members thereof in open position, during a process of adjusting the relative positions of the back-support member and the retainer member thereof.

As shown in the drawings, a spinal adjustment device or mechanism illustrative of the inventive concepts generally comprises a body-support means shown as a back-support 12, a retainer means shown as a front retainer member 14, a vertical support 16, and a base 18.

Interconnecting means rigidly interconnect the back-support 12 and the front retainer member 14 in such a manner that those two members (12 and 14) are adjustably fixed relative to one another in a plurality of relative positions, accommodating various torso sizes, and also in such a manner that the back-support 12 and the front retainer 14 are rigidly interconnected in a releasable means for permitting a persons entrance into and exit from the device 10.

The interconnecting means 20, in the form shown as illustrative of the device, comprises a pair of rack-like members 22 at each side of the device 10, each slidable in a hollow sleeve 24 rigidly secured to the back-support 12, providing selected fore-and-aft adjustment of the relative spacing of the back-support l2 and the front retainer 14.

A latch bar 26 (FIGS. 4 and 5) at each side of the device 10 is shown as laterally slidable between an ad'- justment-se curing position (FIG. 4) and an adjustmentreleasing position (FIG. 5). That is, pins 28 which are respectively secured to the latch bars 26 are shown as slidable in horizontally extending slots 30 (FIG. 3); and, by pulling on an adjustment knob 32 of the latch plates or bars 26, those bars 26 are pulled outwardly from a rack-engaging position (FIG. 4) to a rackreleasing position (FIG. 5).

Rack-engaging position of latch bars 26, in which the respective latch bar 26 engages the rack teeth 34 to hold fixed any selected fore-and-aft adjustment, is shown as accommodated by the outer portion of sleeves 24 being cut to provide a latch-access opening 36 (FIG. 5); and a pair of tension springs 38, shown connected respectively to each of the latch bars 26 and to an inner portion of the back-support 12 (fixed strips 40) urge or bias the respective latch bars 28 to latching position.

The retainer member 14 is shown hinged by hinge 42 to a front plate 44 rigidly secured to the front end of the racks 22 at one side of the device 10; and a retainer latch means 46 is shown for retaining the other end of retainer 14 to the other assembly of racks 22.

Latch means 46 as shown includes a plate 48 rigidly secured to the said other rack assembly 22, to which is shown bolted a U-shaped handle member 50. A latch plate 52 is laterally slidably carried on the adjacent end of retainer 14, plate 52 having elongated openings 54 through which extends a pin 56 rigidly connected to the retainer 14; and, as best shown in FIG. 3, the retainer latch plate 52 is movable between a retracted (rightward in FIG. 3) position, and a latching (leftward, FIG. 3) position in which the outer (leftward) end 58 of latch plate 52 latchingly engages the handle 50 to rigidly secure the retainer 14 to the back-support 12 after the user has positioned himself in the device for the spine-adjustment exercise. The inner (rightward) end of latch-plate 52 is shown as out-turned to provide an ear 59 for ease of moving the plate 52.

It will be particularly noted that when a person is' positioned in the device 10, with the interconnecting means 20 adjusted for rigid tightness of the device forthat particular person, that the back-support l2 and retainer member 14 will engage his hips and pelvic bones and retain them against movement yet permit free swinging movement of the persons upper torso, providing that the rigidity of his hips and pelvic bones will cause his spinal vertebrae to adjust themselves into proper position during torso-twisting movement of the person while his hips and pelvic bones are being rigidly held by the device.

The vertically entending support means 16 is vertically adjustable, as shown, by its formation from telescoping members 60 and 62, with a position-adjustment pin 64 passing throught registering ones of openings 66 of the tubes 60 and 62.

Padding 68-70, respectively, held to the respective supports by screws 74, is shown for the inner face of the said back-support l2 and the said retainer 14, but the flexibility of such padding 68-70 is so minimal that the person s hips and pelvic bones are nevertheless rigidly held.

The said body-support 12 and the said retainer 14 are contoured, as shown by the inner contours of the padding 68-70, to generally follow the body contours in the region of the persons pelvic area.

It is thus seen that a spine-adjustment mechanism provides novel and advantageous concepts and features of construction and operation, achieving a rigid support device which rigidly holds a persons hips and pelvic bones such that subsequent exercise will achieve a spine adjustment without manual manipulation by another person.

Accordingly, it will thus be seen from the foregoing description of this illustrative embodiment, considered with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and useful exerciser aid or device for a spine adjustment and back exercise, the device having desired advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

Modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the novel concepts of the invention; accordingly, the invention is not limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described or shown.

What is claimed is l. A spine-adjustment mechanism, comprising, in combination, a rigid back-support means, a rigid retainer means, means rigidly but releasably interconnecting said body-support means and said retainer means, and position means which rigidly support the back-support means in a position such that a person may stand adjacent to said back-support means and said means in co-operation with said retainer means will engage his hips and pelvic bones and retain them against movement yet permit free swinging movement of the persons upper torso, providing that the rigidity of his hips and pelvic bones will cause his spinal vertebrae to adjust themselves into proper position during torso-twisting movement of the person while his hips and pelvic bones are being rigidly held by said mechanism.

2. This invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which said position means includes a floor-em gageable base and a vertically-extending support means rigidly interconnecting said body-support means and said base.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 in a combination in which the vertically extending support means is vertically adjustable.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the body-support means is a back-support means adapted to engage the persons back, and the retainer means is adapted to overlie the front of the person s torso.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said body-support means and the said retainer means are provided with padding, but the flexibility of such padding is so minimal that the persons hips and pelvic bones are nevertheless rigidly held.

6. The invention as set forth in claim in a combma-.

tion in which the said body-support means and the said retainer means are contoured to generally follow the body contours in the region of the person's pelvic area.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said interconnecting means are adjustable into a plurality of relative positions accommodating various torso sizes, and securing means rigidly secure said interconnecting means in a selected one of said plurality of relative positions. 

1. A spine-adjustment mechanism, comprising, in combination, a rigid back-support means, a rigid retainer means, means rigidly but releasably interconnecting said body-support means and said retainer means, and position means which rigidly support the back-support means in a position such that a person may stand adjacent to said back-support means and said means in cooperation with said retainer means will engage his hips and pelvic bones and retain them against movement yet permit free swinging movement of the person''s upper torso, providing that the rigidity of his hips and pelvic bones will cause his spinal vertebrae to adjust themselves into proper position during torsotwisting movement of the person while his hips and pelvic bones are being rigidly held by said mechanism.
 2. This invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which said position means includes a floor-engageable base and a vertically-extending support means rigidly interconnecting said body-support means and said base.
 3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 in a combination in which the vertically extending support means is vertically adjustable.
 4. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the body-support means is a back-support means adapted to engage the person''s back, and the retainer means is adapted to overlie the front of the person''s torso.
 5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said body-support means and the said retainer means are provided with padding, but the flexibility of such padding is so minimal that the person''s hips and pelvic bones are nevertheless rigidly held.
 6. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said body-support means and the said retainer means are contoured to generally follow the body contours in the region of the person''s pelvic area.
 7. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said interconnecting means are adjustable into a plurality of relative positions accommodating various torso sizes, and securing means rigidly secure said interconnecting means in a selected one of said plurality of relative positions. 